Vehicle-gear.



P. I. PAXTON.

VEHICLE emu.

APPLICATION TILED JANJZ, 1909.

Patented July 6, 1909.

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Aftomeyfl F. J. PAXTON.

VEHICLE GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED ulna, 1909.

927,276. Patented July 6, 1909.

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FRANK J. PAXTON, OF REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Application filed January 12, 1909. Serial No. 471,937.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. PAxToN, a citizen of the United States,residing at liedlands, in the county of San Bernardino and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Im Jroveinents inVehicle- Gears; and I do hereby declare the :l'ollowing to be a full,clear, and exact description oi" the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to new and useful iinprovcments in vehicle gearsand my object is to provide means whereby the front and rear axles maybe swung on their pivots to guide the vehicle.

A further object is to provide means for adjusting the coupling portionof the running gear.

A further object is to provide means for attaching the coupling portionof: the device to the axles of the vehicle.

A still further object is to provide suitable braces for the bolsters olthe vehicle and a still further object is to provide means for attachinga pole to the running gear of the vehicle, whereby said vehicle may bedrawn in either direction.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, Figure 1.is a top plan view of the running gear of the vehicle ready for use.Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereo'l, showing a bed in position on thebolsters, the wheels at one side of the vehicle being removed. Fig. 3 isa central transverse sectional view through one of the bolsters andaxles, showing the brace member therefor. Fig. 4 is a detail sectionalview through one end of one of the reach bars. Fig. 5 is a do tailsectional view through one of the collars employed for attaching thereach bars to the Fig. 6 is an elevation of a coupling employed lorattaching the pole or tongue to the vehicle, and, Fig. 7 is an elevationoi one of the axles showing means for preventing the cap from turningofl the threaded portion of the spindle, when the vehicle is movedrearwardly.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 and 2 indicate theforward. and rear axles, respectively, of a running gear, said. axleshaving mounted thereon, liiolsters 3 and 4;, respectively, on which isadapted to rest any suitable iorin of bed The faces of the axles 1 and 2and the belstersffi and 4-, respectively, are provided with wearingplates 6 and 7, respectively, which plates are held in position on theirrespective parts in any preferred mamicr, as by introducing bolts 8 and9, respectively, through the axles and the bolsters thereon, the innerends of said bolts engaging the wearing plates 6 and 7 and holding thesame in position. The axles 1 and 2 are pivotally secured to thebolsters 3 and 4 by means ol king bolts the lower and upper ends of saidbolts being introduced through. the ends of brace bars 1.0 and 11,respectively, the upper end of the bolt 9 being provided with i a head,while the lower end thereof is threaded to receive a nut 9" by whichmeans the brace bar 10 is held in position. on the king bolt.

The front and rear axles are connected togetl'ier by means 01 suitablereach bars 1.2 and 13, each of said reach bars comprising a tubularsection 14 and a rod 15, the rod 15 being of such size as to enter thetubular section and in order to adjust said rod with respect to thetubular section to increase or decrease the length of the reach bar,bolts 16 are extended through the tubular section 14 and through theinterposed portion of the rod 15, said. rod 15 being provided with aplurality of holes 17 for the reception 01" the bolts.

The outer ends oi the rods 15 are secured to the axle 1 by preferablyflattening the rods to form tongues 18, which tongues extend betweenparalleling cars 19 and 20 oi straps 21 and 22, respectively, saidstraps extending around the axle 1 and when properly secured together,il Ol'lIl collars, as shown in Fig. 5. The opposite ends of the strapsare likewise provided with cars 23 and 24, through which extends a bolt25, a similar bolt 26 extending through the cars 19 and 20 and throughthe interposed portion of the tongue 18 and by drawing said ears towardeach other, the collars will be securely clamped on the axle.

Each of the rods 1.5 is provided with the collars and. a similar set ofcollars are attached to the axle 2, to which the ends of the tubularsections are attached, the cars 27 being attached to heads 28, said.heads terminating in shanks 29, which enter the ends of the tubularsections 14 and are secured therein by means of rivets or the like 30.

The brace bars 10 and 11, extend inwardly from the bolsters 3 and 4 andhave their meeting ends attached to cross arms 31, said cross arms beingsecured to the tubular sections 14 and rods 15, respectively, the endsof the cross arms engaging the tubular sections and rods having slots 32therethrough through which extend pins 33, said pins being employed forsecuring the cross arms in position, while the brace bars are secured tosaid cross arms by means of bolts 34, said bolts likewise extendingthrough slots 35 in the central portions of the cross arms, the objectof said slots being to permit the cross arms to properly adjustthemselves when the reach bars are shifted to change the course of thevehicle.

A draft pole or shafts are secured to parts of the vehicle by extendingbolts 36 through the axles 1 and 2, the outer ends of said bolts havingalining cars 37 thereon, between which the ends of the poles or shaftsare to be introduced and by providing a set of bolts for each axle, thevehicle may be moved in either direction.

Should the vehicle be moved rearwardly, it becomes necessary to providemeans for preventing the taps employed for holding the wheels on thespindles, from turning oil' the spindles and to this end, a key 38 isextended through the projecting end of the spindle 39 and on the outsideof the tap 40, employed for holding the wheel in position, although itwill be understood that any other suitable form of device for holdingthe tap in position on the spindle may be employed.

By providing the reach bars and attaching them to the axle as shown, itwill be readily seen that both axles will be simultaneously shifted tochange the course of the vehicle thereby permitting the course of thevehicle to be more quickly changed and per mitting the vehicle to beturned in a smaller space. It will likewise be seen that by providingadjustable reach bars, the running gear of the vehicle may be lengthenedor shortened for objects of greater or less length and by attaching thebraces 10 and 11 in the manner shown, the bolsters will be rigidly heldin an upright position.

hat I claim is:

1. In a vehicle construction, the combination with a pair of axles andbolsters pivotally connected to said axles of a pair of inflexible reachbars crossing each other about centrally and pivotally connected to saidaxles, transverse bars connected to said reach bars near their forwardand rearward ends respectively, said transverse bars having slottedpivotal connection with said reach bars and angular brace bars, thelower one of said brace bars being connected to an axle and the upperone of said brace bars being connected to a bolster, the convergent endsof said brace bars being pivotally and slidably connected to saidtransverse bars.

2. In a vehicle construction, the combination with a pair of axles andbolsters pivotally connected to said axles, of a pair of crossed reachbars having pivotal connection at their ends with said axles, transversebars between said reach bars having pin and slot connections with thelatter, and angular brace bars, the upper one of said bars beingconnected to an axle at one end and the other one being connected to abolster at one end, the convergent ends of said brace bars having boltand slot connection with a transverse bar.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK J. PAXTON.

Witnesses ()rms. E. TRUnsnELL, M. BANDiroL'rz.

